The tournament started 6 years ago and was organized by Ruqiyah Muhammad, who was raised in Newport News and noticed that her streets were getting more dangerous.

Muhammad tells us, “I was tired of seeing a lot of kids and people my age just on the corner. So to give them something to do that was relatable to everybody.”

She says spreading the message that violence isn’t the answer is important now more than ever.

According to Newport News crime statistics, there have been 8 murders as of May of this year. The latest murder happened just this last week when a 36 year old man was found slumped over, dead in his car.